NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Marina Turlakova is a Project Coordinator with Innovations for Poverty Action’s Small & Medium Enterprise Initiative, based in Cambridge, MA. She manages a portfolio of evaluations and supports the Initiative’s outreach, project development, and knowledge management activities. Prior to joining IPA, Marina worked at the Doing Business project of the World Bank Group, where she focused on business regulation and its effect on small and medium enterprises. Her previous work experience also includes an analyst position at Cornerstone Research, a consulting firm providing economic and financial analysis to attorneys involved in commercial litigation. She received a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Cambridge, UK and a BA in Economics from Wellesley College, MA.

Ariela Alpert is an Initiative Associate with Innovations for Poverty Action’s Small & Medium Enterprise Initiative, based in New Haven, CT. She helps manage the Initiative’s Competitive Research Fund on Entrepreneurship and SME Growth and supports the Initiative’s communication and outreach efforts. Prior to joining IPA, Ariela worked for Chemonics International in Washington, DC supporting agriculture and civil society strengthening projects in East Africa. She also previously spent a year at the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda where she served as the International Coordinator and taught entrepreneurship and business development courses. She holds a BA in Economics from Brandeis University.